BAGUIO CITY -– Locals and tourists from different parts of the country watched a more exciting and quite longer dance parade in the Philippines' Sumer Capital this morning, the first of the two grand parades of the Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga.
A total of 29 groups joined in today’s street dancing parade--eight vying in the elementary division, 14 in the high school division, and five in the open division. Two performed as guest participants.
The troupes carried various themes in their presentations that the hundreds of thousands of viewers enjoyed watching.
The 23rd Panagbenga carries the main theme “Celebration of Culture and Creativity” to trumpet the city’s inclusion in the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) creative cities list.
Winning the day’s competition in the elementary division is returning champion Baguio Central School, as it presented the story of the “Legend of the blooming flowers in Cordillera”. The group will receive PHP250,000 in cash prize. Central School, the oldest elementary school in the city, had in the past been winning the grand prize but lost it to Mabini Elementary School for three years, losing the chance to get the hall of fame.
Second placer Apolinario Mabini Elementary School, which carried the theme “Pigsa ken Kagam, a tribute to our culture”, will get PHP200,000. Apolinario Mabini could have been the Hall of Famer this year if it did not lose to the returning champion.
Landing on the third spot is consistent top-notcher Manuel Quezon Elementary School, which presented the theme “Baguio, city of loving people, who nurtures culture and preserves nature”. It will receive PHP150,000.
Non-winning participants Tuba Central School, Josefa Cariño Elem. School, Aguinaldo Elem. School, Dominican Mirador Elem. School, and Jose P. Laurel Elem. School will each get a PHP20,000 consolation prize.
For the high school division, University of the Cordilleras High School Street Dancers Ensemble bagged the grand prize of PHP200,000.
Baguio City National High School at the second place will receive PHP150,000, while Pines City National High School was at the third spot and will bring home PHP100,000.
The high school division is a returning category after many years of non-participation in the event.
The non-winning groups Remnant International College and SLU Laboratory High School will each receive PHP55,000 consolation prize.
In the open division, Saint Louis University hit the top place and will receive P250,000.
Tribu Tinungbo of Pugo, La Union, last year’s grand winner in the same division, was in second place and will get PHP200,000. Third place winner Tribu Rambak of Umingan, Pangasinan will receive PHP150,000.
The non-winning groups- Gardener’s Tribe of Madaymen, Kibungan, Benguet; the “Tribo Man-apit” (harvesters) of Puguis, La Trinidad, Benguet; Ayyoweng di Lambak (call for celebration) of Tadian, Mountain Province and the Dinamey Baguio Cultural Group; Baguio Binadang (helping hand) As Nan Batawa Cultural Dancers; Am-among (festival) Chi Umili of Bontoc, Mountain Province; Baguio Umili Ay Kalalaychan (elderly) Cultural group; I-Lubuagen Performing Group of Lubuagan, Kalinga province; Caba National High School, Shakrag Sadanga of Sadanga, Mountain Province Cultural Organization; Tribu Bugkalot of Aurora province and the Chom-No Cultural Performing Group of Tam-awan barangay in the city will also receive PHP30,000.
“The street dancing parade was very successful it started on time and the contingents were ready. The showdown at the Athletic Bowl started on time," said Freddie Alquiroz, Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. co-chairman, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Alquiroz said the quality of presentation was so much better this year.
“Every year, we expect the presentations to be better because the basis is the year before. Students always want to outdo every participant. Every year, they want to show better performances.” (PNA)
